Richard Farrant (c. 1525 – 30 November 1580) was an English composer, musical dramatist, theatre founder, andMaster of the Children of the Chapel Royal. The first acknowledgment of him is in a list of the Gentlemen of theChapel Royal in 1552.[1] The year of his birth cannot be accurately determined. During his life he was able to establish himself as a successful composer, develop the English drama considerably, found the firstBlackfriars Theatre, and be the first to writeverse-anthems.[2] He married Anne Bower, daughter ofRichard Bower who was Master of the Chapel Royal choristers at the time. With Anne he conceived ten children, one of whom was also named Richard.
As a member of the Gentleman of theChapel Royal, Farrant was active in ceremonies surrounding the royal family. He began his work with the Chapel Royal around 1550[3] under the reign ofEdward VI. Fortunately, for Farrant, this is a time that saw huge developments in Latin Church Music.[4] Composers likeWilliam Byrd andChristopher Tye were busy expanding and elaborating on the Church Music of the day.[5] In Farrant's twelve years with the Chapel Royal, he was able to participate in funerals for Edward VI andMary I, and coronations for Mary I andElizabeth I. After his work there, he took up a post as lay vicar and organist atSt. George's Chapel at Windsor.[6][7]
"to be Mr of ye queristers in this Xch. and to have a clerks place and to be one ofye organists in this chappell: hee to have the bording cloathing lodging and finding of ye 10 choristers: to enjoy ye houses and emoluments of an organist clerk and master. On condition of the premisses to have £81 6s 8d per ann. to be paid him monthly by ye treasurer besides spurre money and money given by strangers for singing of ballets and ye Mr of ye boyes is to have power of placeing and displaceing ye boyes ... he is also to find a sufficient service for those he displaces: hee to be absent so far as ye college statutes permit"
For Farrant, the post atWindsor became a permanent one that he retained for the rest of his life. Along with this, he also acquired the position of Master of the Chapel Royal choristers in November 1569.[9] Having the choirs of both of these institutions at his disposal gave him an outlet to showcase all of his compositions and plays. In fact, every winter he was able to produce a play for the queen herself. These positions also allowed him to move back to London in 1576 and begin a public theatre of sorts where he rehearsed some of his choir music openly. It was soon after, in 1580, that he died, having left his house to his wife.[10]
Unlike many composers of his day, who stuck to only music composition, Farrant also wrote many plays. One of his most important contributions to drama in England is of course the creation of the firstBlackfriars Theatre.[11] This eventually became one of the most important places in London for drama to develop during theRenaissance. Farrant is also one of the earliest and most well-known composers who began to mix the two mediums of music and drama. It was this uncommon mixture that allowed him to begin to develop the composition style of 'verse.' This becomes prominent in a lot of his pieces including the anthemsWhen as we sat in Babylon,Call to remembrance andHide not thou thy face.[12]
Because of the time gap, many of Farrant's works are only known because of careful documentation or brief mention from other documents.[13][14]
